It is always nice to have a new subscriber, but it is especially cool to find one from a far away land. I believe it helps to remind us just how similar we are. There are jobs we hate to do and then find out how worthwhile they were. There are times we do not realize how much we miss our relatives until we see them again.

If i cannot travel, at least I can read about other places and people. Sanchari is in Delhi, and blogging at, http://sancharib.wordpress.com/. If you scroll down her posts, you will see some great photos of the Jaisalmer Fort.

But, what really brought me home was her November post on cutting down the Mango tree which was just one year older than she is.

When I was growing up, my side yard had a large weeping willow tree. I could crawl under the branches and have an instant play house/fort/whatever I wanted. Many a day was spent eating lunch and playing under that tree. So, when mom and dad moved to a subdivision, they took a start with them and grew a new weeping willow in the backyard.

When I divorced, I moved back home again with my daughters. Super teacher daughter was in kindergarten and was delighted to live with a weeping willow in her very own backyard. It was she now who spent hours eating cookies or sandwiches and playing dolls under her grandparents tree. That is, until one day years later when lightning split the tree and it was taken down.

We had moved out a couple of years before this, but daughter always ran to visit her tree. We did not think to warn her as we got settled in for our visit, until she came back in the house in tears. Her beloved tree was gone.

She never ate mangoes from it but that tree was a wonderful memory for my daughter, as well as Sanchari’s Mango tree was for her.

We do not get one single trick or treater. I guess no one wants to risk our 400 foot long driveway, when the trees even hide the fact that the house is lit up or not. I really miss Halloween decorating though.

And, I would so do this, if anyone could actually see my house.

Photo courtesy of Sean Fallon, I think. I actually made a copy because I want to do it some day in the future.

After the boys moved in, I always wanted to have a Halloween party for them and their friends. They are now 19 and 22, and almost 25. The 22 year old was just home from Afghanistan and sat in a chair, fully costumed, in a dark room, for a half hour as he waited for his two brothers to get home.

When I was growing up, we lived in a rural area. We always had pumpkins on our porch and trick or treaters. Those kids had some walking to do, I’ll tell you. Mom and Dad were square dancers and dressed up in awesome costumes every year, but not for the trick or treaters. When I was young, dad drove me into the nearest town. I loved it.

I was watched, like a hawk anytime I was outside and it was such a neat feeling to be out after dark and around tons of kids and running and laughing with some new friend. I even remember the year I fell in love with Zorrow, or was that Zorro? I don’t know how to spell it and I don’t know who he was but his ?ten/twelve year old self was just as appealing to me as Antonio Banderas is now.

When I was growing up, there were no malls on every corner, or any corner. Mom did not have a driver’s license and never did get one and shopping consisted of a payday (every other Friday) foray into the nearest little town, Griffith, Indiana. Where I would return my arm-load of books to the library and pick out the next two weeks reading, while mom and dad started their grocery shopping.

Occasionally we would pick something up in the Ben Franklin dime store. Prices were higher for clothing there, but you could get a tube of lipstick or a hanky to give a relative for Christmas. Our main shopping was from the Sears, Roebuck Catalog.

This was the Christmas catalog of 1958, and I remember that santa ornament hanging on our tree. We poured over those Christmas catalogs for hours. When the Sears driver delivered our order, my brother and I would have to leave the room while she opened those pages and checked the goods. I don’t think they could do that now, in this day of GPS tracking and speedy delivery, but back in the 50s, service ruled.

I belive there was a fall catalog also that signalled the arrival of the school year. Mom would haul out the catalog and mark the pages I could use to chose my school clothes. There was a price point obviously. Mom always ordered two pair of shoes for me, in different sizes, just to make sure.

The Sears truck driver was almost a friend to invite to dinner. He came in with the order and waited while things were tried on. So, when it was time to order school clothing, I looked for my favorite pair of shoes. Sears carried them for years. They were flats with elastic cords that went from the front to the back and I thought they made my feet look awesomely small. Mom would order two pair, in different sizes, and the Sears truck driver would wait, while I tried on my shoes, so he could take back the pair that did not fit.

Now, I drive fifty miles, to Shoe Circus in Indy/Greenwood, to get shoes that feel half way comfortable and pay a $100 for the privilege. Do high heels make your feet look amazing? Yes! Do they feel like the inquisition has arrived? Yes!

I check about six times a day for a new post from her. Should she go three days without posting, I am ready to write and see if she is okay or not? I am stalking addicted.

I have even developed a ritual for her posts. I savor read it to myself first, then I read it outloud to husband, while trying not to laugh so hard I fall off my chair, then I post it to facebook. Then, I get to read all the neat comments I get from my daughter and others who also find her hysterical.

Now if my mind just worked that way, maybe I would post more regularly.